December 21, 2016

Civilized Man's Eight Deadly Sins by Konrad Lorenz

Referenced in Democracy: The God That Failed

Select excerpt:

What is the use to humanity of its measureless multiplication, its mad competitive haste, its production of ever deadlier weapons, the progressive deterioration of town dwellers, and so on. A closer view shows that virtually all these malfunctions are disorders of certain special behavior mechanisms, originally possessing survival value. In other words, the disorders are pathological. [p.4-5]

There is no lack of obstacles that have to be overcome if humanity is not to perish, and surmounting them is enough of a challenge to provide every one of us with adequate chances of proving our mettle and merit. It would be a rewarding educational task to make young people aware of these obstacles. [p.42]